The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-11-23
A FRENCH VINEYARD.
MODERN AND PRIMITIVE METHODS
OF MAKING WINE.

The commerce OF wine being so large an
/ item In the financial prosperity Of France, Is
question worthy Of study, and for that pur-
pose started for the little village Of Argen-
teuil. the spot nearest Paris where the vint-
age may be seen in all It's charms. Ihere
are, indeed, many charming qualities 10 the
gathering and transportation, the sorting
and pressing Of the grapes, the manipulation
Of the wine and the festivities connected with
a successful vintage.
See this line Of peasants widening down
among tho low growing vines They come
from q long distance back In the country,
and will stand az the corner Of the high road
as We read OF their standing I, 500 years ago,
whiting "for some man 70 hire them.' Old
men and women, young men and children, IN
charming faded hl0uses and handkcrchiefs;
in great wooden sabots or with no shoes al
all Glad enough they arc 20 earn Che forty
or thirty, or even twenty cents day which
is paid for their labor
Before daylight they began 10 assemble,
and OF a Ia tho patron appears lie en-
cages them in order, tosses a. ID q pruning
knife and hottie bigh wooden ,asket, carried
on the back, telling them, more too kindly, to
Col server and they are of to the days
labor.
It is indeed a subject worthy Of the en-
thusiasm given it By tie French artists. In
the salon one may see half n dozen vintage
pictures IN the same room, and do not won
der at 10 now, having seen the ever changing
compositions at Argontcuil. Tho rough
white walls, the tender green Of the vines,
With the dark tones Of the grapes, the
faded garments of the laborers-those fine
peasant types-with the sunlight over all,
and the musical "chantonner' OF the work
ers keeping time with the cutting Of the
vines. lend charm indescribably fascinating.
Later they begin the passage from the fields
into the town There is no restriction as 20
to the means Of transportation, although the
large vineyard owners provide their own
carts, drawn 10y the great Normandy horses,
festOOned with trailing vines artisucauy ar
ranged about the harness, for ia France the
meanest peasant has an eye for the beautiful
Besides these carts one sees the grape laden
"hottes' arranged in whcelbarrOws and
handcarts or a donkey laden with sacks up
70 his ears and $50 as please line OF
men: women and children bearing the fruit
in every conceivable manner-in hotties,
ia baskets, in bags, in pals and wooden
bowls, in boxes and buckets Of tin, on their
heads, their backs, their shoulders between
them in tWos and threea and DRAGGED along
in boxes on the ground. AS they enter town
they disperse in the direction Of the different
cellars and presses
There are any number OF processes Of wine
making and as many methods of pressing
the fruit as there arc owners OF vineyards,
but almost every peasant has his little vine
yard and much of the wine is made in their
own cellars Here they return 90 first prin-
cples, the men treading the wine press and
stained from head 90 foot with the red liquid.
There they use the latest inventions f0r wine
making The great watts, holding 200 quarts,
whirl rapidly by steam beneath tho counter
movement Of n ponderous disk Of stone; the
noise OF the gushing grape juice IS like that
of "a small torrent, spoutiug from a tube on
the right, and the dry masses of pulp elected
into trough for the purpose on the left,
everything moving in regular ordcr-n0isy,
ugly. labor saving Thus modern invention
take. the poetry ont oi old time customs, and
/ turn away disguised to seek les. modern
atmosphere. a more c0nceulal example of the
good old fashioned vine press.
One mqy trace "a its source the purple red
stream that tricklod down between Che great
stones Of the village street 10 viii lead per
haps 70 more Interesting fields. and in this
quaint old village ono may wander at viii
unmolested into every nook and corner.
There is a strong odor of crushed grapes as,
following the colored stream, turn into O
vine covered court At one eud stands q
matched shed full OF the largest casks / ever
saw Here, sitting ON an overturned hottie,
measure of new wine beside him. sits tho
proprietor Of tho establishment, smoking a
long china pipe.
Has monsieur ever heard the chanson Of
the croconsl asks the proprietor, Offering
mug of wine "Is monsieur acquainted will
the vintagei VIII be attend the merry mas.
ing this evening" 1 accept with alacriry
"lf monsieur has interest in the WINE press le
mus, descend a few steps and witness that 0l
,ho Mere Antoine L follow the direction
indicated and come upon a neat box bordercI
court, a white cottage, every window Of
which Is filled with deliciO-s flowers. 40 .he
back is an evenly planted vineyard, whore
catch a glimpse OF the white cap and spotiess
apron of madame, who is siillfully clipping
punches of grapes into large basket Near
her stands the patient little donkey who VIII
bear the fruit to her original wine press
around the corner. This is a truly unique
process Of wine making, and l stand watch
ing the rich purple juice ooze through the
sieve into the pail below In rapt wonder
This and many presses | studied that Cay
at Argenteuil The wine drink now ia Paris
has more agreeable lavor, redolont Of the
happy association and the impressions caught
during vintage time
But had almost forgotten the chief feat
ure Of 1t all-the peasants dance In the open
field after the work is done, with flags flying,
Gddles playing, men and women Ia holiday
attire (which IN France means costumes mar.
velous 70 behold. Under vine covered hut
stand JUGS Of new wine piles OF seed cakes
and gingerbread which pass from hand 10
band as "Soit eyes look love 70 eyes that
spake again" Under the influence q the
vintage troths are plighted, matches made,
men and maidens forget their shyness, and
"allgoes merry as marriage bell" At night
the matters appear made gay in colored
papers The young men vie with each other
is feats Of strength, the young women sing
songs and dance the night away. IL is IN
deed a pretty sight, and may the custom long
exist and the vintage prosper, In spite OF the
edict OF the French government that beer